This is a confusing aircheck, to say the least. About six minutes or so into this recording, it flips to what sounds like format change day at Q102. Granted, this MAY be two recordings strung together. Couldn’t tell other than the tape label which just said Chris Jagger, WIOQ.

I’d like to leave the comments to our visitors about this aircheck, as I know very little about Q102 in this era. Please leave your notes below. Thank you.

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6 Comments

MGD4Ever November 15, 2009, 12:22 pm

Very cool aircheck. the interesting thing is that the first part with Chris Jagger is very dance music oriented. the second part with Mark Driscal, which I’m assuming was recorded earlier, is straight up CHR. I’d be very interested to know more about WIOQ’s evolution from straight CHR to rhythmic CHR. also, WIOQ went through a number of format changes. I used to listen to them in the 70s when they had an AOR format. At one point I think they also switched to oldies in response to WCAU FM making the same move. they also flirted with a rock alternative format. they finally hit it big with this rhythmic CHR format, and I think that’s what they’re still doing today.

This is actually 2 airchecks. The first was Chris Jagger (fresh from doing nights at Q107/Washington) doing mornings. The second is WIOQ’s actual format flip from Oldies to CHR-Dance that took place in early 1989 with Program Director/VO Mark Driscoll doing the introduction. I remember giving a copy to Lance almost 10 years ago for the format change archive.

WI0Q, as Robyn stated above, blew up its oldies format in favor of dance-based CHR in early 1989. It actually evolved or flat out switched from rhythmic CHR to mainstream CHR (not vice versa) sometime in the 1990s. By that time, Chris Jagger had moved to Z-100 New York (where he was a DJ and, for half if not most of his time there, the co-host [with psychologist/sex therapist “Dr. Judy” [Kuriansky]] of the local and later syndicated talk show “LovePhones”).

Oh–Z-100 was itself in its first mainstream CHR format when Jagger signed on therewith. (During his time on that station, particularly when the aforementioned talk show “LovePhones” originated therefrom, it went from mainstream Top 40 to alternative rock-based Top 40 and back.) And you’re right, MGD4ever, WIOQ switched from hybrid AOR/AC to oldies in reaction to Top 40 WCAU-FM doing likewise. (Or vice versa, considering that both went to an oldies format in late 1987.)

What is WIOQ’s current format? Is it CHR? This is the first IOQ ‘check I’ve ever heard. They’re part of the iHeart Media Philadelphia cluster. Also, Entercom recently bought out CBS Radio. I know a few things about Philadelphia radio. WPHT (1210) used to be WCAU, KYW (1060) was once WRCA and picked up the CBS Radio News affiliation from WPHT. Also, way, way back in the day, WFIL (560) was the city’s premier top 40 outlet; they were in competition with WIBG (990), at one time (still are?) were sister stations. WIBG was called “Wibbage”, which is how their call letters were pronounced.